Church friends who started own sunglasses brand hit the big time after Meghan Markle wears them for outing with Prince Harry

Meghan Markle wore Finlay & Co frames during her first public outing with Prince Harry. (PHOTO: Instagram/Finlay & Co)

Lots of people closely follow the fashion choices of the British Royal family and love to copy whatever they are wearing. Even the Royals' significant others get tons of attention for their fashion choices, and the sunglasses company Finlay & Co can attest to that.

Finlay & Co was founded by church friends David Lochhead, 32 and Dane Butler 33, without any previous business experience.

They launched their first collection of wooden frames after it became a fad in Portugal, according to the Daily Mail. They received even more rave reviews after being invited to showcase at London Fashion Week, and Anna Wintour dubbed them as a brand to watch.

Since then, A-list celebrities have started wearing their sunglasses. Some of their fans include Jessica Alba, Gigi Hadid, David Gandy, Suki Waterhouse, Kate Hudson, Sienna Miller, and Rihanna. However, nothing catapulted their brand more then a public sighting of "Suits" star Meghan Markle and her boyfriend, Prince Harry.

Markle wore their frames when she made her first public appearance with Harry at the Invictus Games in Toronto. She donned the brand's Percy frames and even had them personalized with her initials "MM" on the arm, according to their Instagram (@finlayandco) page.

Because of this, demand for their frames skyrocketed and they sold £20,000 worth of shades overnight. Their website even crashed multiple times because of the demand.

For the two, the success they've enjoyed is nothing short of a blessing. "We've been really fortunate to see many celebrities wearing our frames over the years," said Lochhead.

It's also a bonus that they get along so well and enjoy spending time with one another. "Working with a close friend is fantastic and has all sorts of benefits," said Lochhead. "It does get quite funny when we turn up to friends' birthdays or football matches and end up spending so much time together outside of work in addition to all the time we spend on the business."

related articles
Pastor Tells Prince Harry, \'It Is Your Turn Next, Sir,\' After Officiating Wedding Of Harry\'s Best Friend In Jamaica
Pastor Tells Prince Harry, 'It Is Your Turn Next, Sir,' After Officiating Wedding Of Harry's Best Friend In Jamaica

Pastor Tells Prince Harry, 'It Is Your Turn Next, Sir,' After Officiating Wedding Of Harry's Best Friend In Jamaica

Royal sister-in-law Pippa takes spotlight in star-studded British wedding
Royal sister-in-law Pippa takes spotlight in star-studded British wedding

Royal sister-in-law Pippa takes spotlight in star-studded British wedding

 Uncle of Prince Harry\'s girlfriend is a \'bishop\' leading his own \'Orthodox Catholic\' church
Uncle of Prince Harry's girlfriend is a 'bishop' leading his own 'Orthodox Catholic' church

Uncle of Prince Harry's girlfriend is a 'bishop' leading his own 'Orthodox Catholic' church

News
All Nations Christian College to sell campus and move courses online
All Nations Christian College to sell campus and move courses online

The college campus has connections with the 19th century abolitionist movement.

What is the biblical basis of Ash Wednesday?
What is the biblical basis of Ash Wednesday?

18 February 2026 is Ash Wednesday, which traditionally starts the season of Lent. This is the story …

Lent for the weary: rethinking the season as rest, not religious hustle
Lent for the weary: rethinking the season as rest, not religious hustle

Has Lent just become another self-improvement project with a spiritual label?

Bible Society stands by 'Quiet Revival' research
Bible Society stands by 'Quiet Revival' research

Questions about the study have been raised.